Transportation Program

Walnut Creek Recreation's Senior Mini Bus Program

The Senior Mini Bus Program provides over 3,000 per year to seniors in Walnut Creek. It utilizes volunteer drivers and dispatchers to schedule rides and get seniors where they need to go! Transportation plays a key role in combating isolation among seniors. The mini bus program helps seniors maintain their independence, allows them to get to important medical appointments and to do grocery shopping, provides opportunities for socialization, and helps alleviate traffic and parking congestion in Walnut Creek.

Schedule rides anywhere within the border of Walnut Creek for $1 each way by calling (925) 256-3533. Rides are available Monday through Friday, 8:45-3:40. You must call between the hours of 9 am and 10 am one day in advance of your scheduled ride. For those scheduling doctors appointments, you may call up to two days in advance of your scheduled ride. For a Monday ride, please call on the previous Friday.

Expanded Transportation Program with Lyft

The City of Walnut Creek is utilizing the ride sharing app Lyft to expand its transportation services. In addition to the Senior Mini Bus program, the Lyft pilot program will provide rides outside of regular mini bus hours, allowing members the freedom to get where they need to be within the borders of Walnut Creek.

Lyft rides are free of charge for qualifying Senior Club members, made possible by a generous two-year grant from TRANSPAC, the Transportation Partnership and Cooperation for Contra Costa County.

Lyft Program Eligibility

To schedule rides with the City of Walnut Creek’s Expanded Transportation Program, you must meet the following requirements:

Be a current member of the Walnut Creek Seniors Club

Be 60 years or older

This program is best suited for those who are comfortable entering and exiting vehicles (including SUVs and vans) without assistance.

Although it is not required, it is recommended that passengers have a smart phone with text messaging capabilities to receive updates on their ride.

Lyft Program Reservations

Reservations can be made by phone from 9:00 am —10:00 am the day before your ride.
For a Monday or weekend ride, please call on Friday.

If you need to cancel a ride, please call before 4:00 pm the day before your ride, or on Friday for Monday or weekend rides.

Reservation Line: (925) 256-3533

If passengers are comfortable using the Lyft app on their smart phones, they may schedule rides at any time during the program hours. Lyft account setup will be done during the program application process.

Reservation Details

Safety is of utmost importance. All passengers are required to wear seat belts. If you are without a seat belt, both the passenger and driver may receive a ticket from law enforcement.

Passengers must allow up to 20 minutes leeway after scheduled ride time for their pick up. This is to allow time for Lyft to properly match the passenger with a driver, accommodate for traffic, and possible inclement weather.

When waiting for your Lyft ride, please stay in a safe, well-lit area where you can be easily seen by the driver.

In the unlikely event that your driver does not show up, you will need to arrange an alternate form of transportation, such as a taxi ride. All alternate transportation fees will be rider's own.

Lyft Program Fees and Tips

All rides are free for extended service hours.

Rides are provided based on fund availability.

Tipping your driver is not required, but passengers may do so if they wish.

Transportation Program Hours and Area of Operation

Walnut Creek Senior Club Mini Bus Hours

Monday - Friday: 8:45 am - 3:40 pm

Extended Service Hours with Lyft

Monday - Friday: 3:40 pm - 12:00 am

Saturday & Sunday: All day

One round trip per day.

All rides must be within Walnut Creek.

Code of Conduct

Walnut Creek Recreation strives to help seniors maintain their independence and safety, combat isolation, and improve traffic congestion and parking by expanding capacity in its transportation program.

We reserve the right to suspend accounts should we find suspicious activity or misconduct such as booking rides for someone other than the registered Walnut Creek Seniors Club member, frequent ride cancellations/no shows, excessive ride scheduling, riding during minibus hours or accidental rides outside of Walnut Creek. Rides are provided based on fund availability.
If you have a major emergency, please call 911. Lyft is not a replacement for an ambulance, and should not be used as a means of emergency transport.

Due to the nature of Lyft, drivers are not required to assist passengers in and out of the vehicle, or walk passengers to their destination. If City of Walnut Creek staff finds that the passenger can no longer safely use our program, staff will notify the passenger and their family and refer them to the County Connection Link program. Lyft is not a Paratransit service provider.